Exploring More Tools for Anxiety & Depression

 
Anxiety and depression can feel like.....


The Mayo Clinic defines depression as “a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest which can affect how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems”.1 

Dictionary.com defines anxiety as “a mental condition characterized by excessive apprehensiveness about real or perceived threats, typically leading to avoidance behaviors and often to physical symptoms such as increased heart rate and muscle tension.”2 

Either condition, therefore, could lead to undesired behaviors and results in a person’s life, including things that we do or things we avoid in these states of mind.  This video talks about how training the brain to take actions that achieve more desired results in life can be obtained:



Today, I am going to share research about multiple ways to reduce or manage symptoms of anxiety or depression in women specifically, to increase overall personal peace and life fulfillment.  
Many of these ways operate similarly to the video above involving brain training or conditioning.  Although there will be discomfort in the process of changing habits in various areas, the positive changes that can occur mentally and physically can greatly improve life satisfaction.
The first option for some habit changes that has been found to decrease anxiety and depression is following the Mediterranean and/or MIND diet, which combines the Mediterranean and DASH diet often used to reduce high blood pressure.3

Diet & Anxiety



The Mediterranean and MIND diet both include a plant-based focus like fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts, and healthy fats like olive oil, while limiting processed foods and saturated fats like dairy, crackers, or fast food.5

Multiple studies found that the more people followed this plant-based, limited animal fats way of eating, significant decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms.3,5  These results could be from the abundant amount of specific vitamins and minerals that help neurons in the brain work optimally.3  It is also speculated that the anti-inflammatory effects of plant-based foods in the Mediterranean and MIND diets help protect the brain and body from developing issues.3 The specific foods in these ways of eating that cause the most benefit are green leafy vegetables, whole grains, vegetables in general, berries, fish, and beans.3 

There is also evidence from research that the normal bacteria in our guts can either increase or decrease anxiety and depression.6    

Over half of the bacteria in our guts comes from different foods we eat, creating good or bad bacteria in our guts.6   These bacteria have a direct link to our mental health by affecting the chemicals in the brain, creating inflammation, and affecting how much energy is able to be produced.6  Inflammation in the gut and body can actually be caused by stress, which can then speed up developing anxiety and depression.6

People suffering from anxiety and depression have commonly lacked some specific healthy gut bacteria, and had an increase of some of the unhealthy bacteria, indicating that taking a supplement like prebiotics and probiotics which help restore the balance of healthy bacteria decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety.6  The leafy greens and other foods mentioned above that prevent inflammation also happen to contain prebiotics naturally6, offering another explanation to why certain foods affect mental health so much.

 Another important aspect of these ways of eating includes what to avoid like sugar and processed foods, which are both pro-inflammatory, meaning they cause inflammation in the brain and body.3 The results from consistently following these diets created a staggering 97% decrease in anxiety symptoms in the research3,5, providing evidence that diet could be worth modifying to enhance mental and emotional well-being.




For more information on various studies regarding the Mediterranean diet and a decrease in anxiety or depression symptoms, please watch the following video:



Art Therapy



There are many different forms of art therapy, including painting, drawing, collage, writing, photography, music, and dance, among others.  Art in its many forms helps people to find meaning, find connection with themselves and the world around them, and address and express their emotions without necessarily having to use words.7   Emotional catharsis means that intense emotions are allowed and expressed, while the person is able to gain new understandings about themselves7, which art therapy allows.  It can allow someone who feels out of control, unable to feel or express their emotions through words, or like they are the one being cared for to be empowered and offer a part of themselves.7

Researchers found that people struggling with depression who engaged in a form of art therapy regularly for a few weeks experienced a significant lowering of depression, while at the same time, boosting self-self-confidence.7


I encourage you to watch the following videos at their specified times (noted below each video) and note how it would feel to try one of these activities.  If you feel inspired by one of the activities, I encourage you to try it!

From 3:12- 5:39

 From 2:01- 3:32




From 2:34- 4:01


Calligraphy as a Form of Art Therapy

One form of writing that is considered art therapy is calligraphy, an art form frequently used in Chinese cultures7.  Calligraphy involves writing letters in a way that creates art.  With teenagers that were taught and could practice calligraphy two days a week for one hour each day, there was significant decreases in depression over just a short three-week period.7   There are so many different forms of art therapy! Below is a video on basic calligraphy where only a pencil and paper is needed.  I encourage you to watch it and see if calligraphy speaks to you as a way of self-expression and therapy.


 Nature




A huge study of 20,000 people found that people who spent two hours per week outside in nature increased the odds of feeling emotionally healthy.8 Interestingly, although many people enjoy any amount of time outside, the study found that there were no benefits for the people who didn’t experience the two hour minimum per week, which could be all at once or broken up into several experiences.8 The results were that being in nature for a minimum of two hours per week (in a safe environment) actually prevents stress, lowers blood pressure, decreases stress levels, lower anxiety, increase well-being, and even increase physical immunity, among other benefits.8 Part of the benefits may come from nature allowing a more present, relaxed, and less distracted state of mind and body for people8 so trying to use all five senses in an immersive way while in nature will increase the benefits of being outdoors.  Be it going on a brisk walk for 20 minutes each day, taking your kids to a park, or going up the canyon in the mountains, I encourage you to figure out a way that you can meet the two-hour minimum and experience these benefits yourself.

Mindfulness/Meditation




The last tool I want to touch on today is mindfulness.  What exactly is mindfulness? It is defined by one source as “a technique in which one focuses one’s full attention only on the present, experiencing thoughts, feelings, and sensations but not judging them.”9  It can be intentional meditation, but it can also just be using your five senses to notice what is going on inside your body and around you in the present moment.  The following sheet describes ways to be more mindful at various parts of your everyday routine and can be helpful in giving a fuller picture of mindfulness without meditation:


Worksheet for daily mindfulness:

  Mindfulness allows acceptance of a person’s present circumstance and resisting avoidance strategies, which can increase anxious or depressed thoughts or feelings.  Mindfulness has been found effective in people who experience other significant physical health challenges by decreasing the perceived stress of their present circumstance and shift the person’s focus.10


Below are a few examples of guided meditations you can listen to that can offer a good starting point to practice awareness and mindfulness of your body in the present moment. I encourage you to try one! My favorite is any form of progressive relaxation, which effectively releases tension in my body, one body part at a time.






References:

1.      Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, October 14). Depression (major depressive disorder). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007

2.      Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Anxiety definition & meaning. Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/anxiety

3.      Torabynasab, K., Shahinfar, H., Jazayeri, S., Effatpanah, M., Azadbakht, L., & Abolghasemi, J. (2023). Adherence to the mind diet is inversely associated with odds and severity of anxiety disorders: A case–control study. BMC Psychiatry, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04776-y 

4.  professional, C. C. medical. (n.d.). Mediterranean diet. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16037-mediterranean-diet

5. Zamani, B., Zeinalabedini, M., Nasli Esfahani, E., & Azadbakht, L. (2023). Can following paleolithic and Mediterranean diets reduce the risk of stress, anxiety, and depression: A cross-sectional study on Iranian women. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2023, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/2226104

6. Sherazi, S., & et. al., (2022). The entrancing relation between diet and gut microbiota, a possible key ... https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362303010_The_entrancing_relation_between_diet_and_gut_microbiota_a_possible_key_target_to_exploit_treatment_options_for_depression_and_anxiety_insights_from_animal_models_human_studies_and_in_vitro_research_-a

7. Sarman, A., & Günay, U. (2022). The effect of calligraphy as an art therapy intervention containing religious motifs, on the anxiety and depression in adolescent psychiatric patients. Journal of Religion and Health, 62(2), 1269–1285. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01479-0

8. Robbins, J., Gardiner, B., Pearce, F., & Goodell, J. (2020, January 9). Ecopsychology: How immersion in nature benefits your health. Yale E360. https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health#:~:text=These%20studies%20have%20shown%20that,reduce%20anxiety%2C%20and%20improve%20mood.

9. Dictionary.com. (n.d.-b). Mindfulness definition & meaning. Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/mindfulness

10. Chang, Y.-C., Lin, G.-M., Tseng, T. A., Vitale, E., Yang, C.-H., & Yang, Y.-L. (2023). The                  experience of mindfulness-based stress reduction on menopausal symptoms, sleep disturbance, and    body image among patients with breast cancer—a qualitative study. Current Oncology, 30(1), 1255–1266. https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol30010097

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